Mandy Tams The Golden Girl Poet Rhyme

Come On Over Fritz

.Inspired From Sapper French's Diary from April 23. 1916
                         "Come On Over Fritz"

Rain like a shower down my back off a thin wooden lath 
It’s cold and miserable unlike a welcome hot bath
Air so bad we cannot breathe, today don’t feel like taking this path.

Gas bombs are falling a thick yellow cloud rolls our way.
Pray God the wind catches and sends it astray.
Thank God no gas lungs for us today…

We used the same trick as miners with a canary bird to test for gas
But we caged a mouse instead, if it died we would not pass
We got sick, but the mouse survived, oh telling us; what an ass.

Got a cut upon my leg, the doctor says it’s septic
What a relief a hospital bed, lots of company, analeptic
I though this war was right, now I’m a sceptic.

Back in the field scores of bodies lying dead
Personalities cut down, stuck in the mud ahead
Blood bath, bodies everywhere we tread.

Walking in water up to our knees without ease
Found water cress, so good with bread and cheese.
A little comfort, although not much sitting in this bise.

It’s strange something simple like finding water cress
Can give us an unsophisticated pleasure in this gory mess
Eating and drinking, amidst body parts - no less.

But we had to do what we could for every inch we could gain
How the mighty fall, the Germans came to our trench of mud and rain
With grenades, daggers and bayonets – most stayed, face down; slain.

A huge German solider was patched up by our lads
An older man with a scratch; reminded us of our dads
It’s remarkable we fight and kill, yet still mend these cads.

August the tenth a strange day, a German stuck his head over the barbette
One of our boys called out “Come on over fritz” as if he did it for a bet
Fritz relied in perfect English “no blooming fear” happy to have met.

After the respite of banter back and forth
New orders went out to be followed henceforth
Anyone talking to the enemy would be arrested thenceforth.

Entered into Mark Toney's
Poetry Marathon mile 7 contest

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Joe Maverick November 11, 2021 at 3:49 PM Well put Mandy, much background and honesty In this write, war is such a waste good work Here from you' Mandy Tams The Golden Girl June 5, 2023 at 10:27 PM Would you believe it has taken Harry's death to make me re-read some of my poems, he used to re-read and comment all the time, I was bad at that and missed out on some wonderful comments, thank you, Joe xx

Richard Lamoureux August 30, 2019 at 9:58 AM This captivated me Mandy. You are a good story teller. Mandy Tams The Golden Girl January 2, 2020 at 3:58 AM Thanks, Richard, I don't get on soup much but just read this and really appreciate it xx

Harry Horsman February 6, 2019 at 5:01 PM love this Mandy, so glad you posted it..Harry Mandy Tams The Golden Girl January 2, 2020 at 3:58 AM Thanks, Harry xx

Silent One January 1, 2019 at 6:49 AM A brilliant poem Mandy, so nice to see you posting... Graphic poem, with images of the sad reality of war.. Good luck in the contest.. Mandy Tams The Golden Girl February 6, 2019 at 4:10 AM Thank you for your comment I really appreciate it. I don't get onto soup much these days so don't see comments so they are all the more special when I do x